Wireless telecommunications systems have been experiencing a rapid growth rate in mobile data demand. Mobile system operators typically alleviate this growth through network densification. However, network densification may also lead to an increase of radio link interference on both uplink and downlink radio interfaces. Traditional air interface optimization mitigation techniques can reduce interference somewhat, but such techniques have practical limits in their effectiveness.
One example feature to mitigate downlink interference is called Cell-specific Reference Signal-Interference Cancellation (“CRS-IC”). CRS-IC uses existing network configuration information to inform user devices (e.g., wireless telephones) about the type of CRS patterns used by the device's potential interferers (e.g., neighboring cells that operate at the same frequency as the user device). In accordance with CRS-IC, the user device may use this information to process the interfering cell signal patterns to offset the interfering signal, and thus to mitigate the interference (also referred as “interference cancellation”).